Travel information for visitors to Namibia

Passport and Visa

A passport valid for six months from date of entry with one blank page is required to enter Namibia. For visas, kindly visit http://www.namibia.org.za/visa-requirements/ to learn more.

Entry to Namibia

Most visitors enter Namibian grounds at Hosea Kutako International Airport in Windhoek. It is about 45 km out of town, because Windhoek is nestled in a narrow valley. The Eros Airport(Windhoek) is closer to town.

Currency and credit cards

The currency in Namibia is the Namibian Dollar (NAD), which is fixed to and therefore equivalent to the South African Rand (ZAR).
International MasterCard and Visa credit cards are generally accepted throughout Namibia. Holders of other cards are advised to clarify with a commercial bank whether their card is acceptable in Namibia. Credit cards are not accepted at some fuel filling stations.

Language

The official language is English, while Afrikaans and German are also widely used. There are numerous African languages and dialects which fall into two main groups, namely Bantu and Khoisan.

Time

Namibia operates on daylight saving time as follows – Summer: From the first Sunday in September to the first Sunday in April – Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) + 2 hours. Winter: From the first Sunday in April to the first Sunday in September – Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) + 1 hour.

Climate

The weather in southern Africa is generally pleasant throughout the year – warm to hot days, and cool to warm nights. During our winter months however (May to September), it can get really cold at night and in the early morning, particularly when on safari, so we would like to suggest that you pack accordingly – very warm clothing including an anorak/winter jacket, a beanie, scarf and gloves are recommended.

Banks

Banking Hours:
Monday – Friday: 09:00 – 15:30
Saturday: 09:00 – 11:00

Power Supply

In major cities all electrical appliances run on 220/240V. Outlets are round 3-pin, 15- amp plugs. While some safari camps can supply adaptors (3-prong round, 3-prong square, 2-prong round, 2-prong flat), it is advisable that you carry your own.

Water

Although tap water is pretty much always drinkable in larger town and cities, such as Windhoek, it is often recycled and so can taste chlorinated. Most lodges and guest farms in rural areas use borehole water which is clean and fine to drink. That said many people choose to drink bottled water which is easily obtainable at supermarkets around the country.

Health

According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (www.cdc.gov), the following vaccinations are recommended for Namibia: hepatitis A, hepatitis B, rabies and typhoid. Yellow fever is not a risk in the region, but the certificate is an entry requirement if you’re coming from an infected region.
It’s also important to take antimalarial meds.